Phase shift mask, patterning method using the same and method of manufacturing display panel using the same

Abstract

A phase shift device includes a phase shift mask which includes a transparent substrate, and a phase shift pattern which is provided on the transparent substrate, and includes a first area having a first thickness, a second area having a second thickness which is less than the first thickness, a first opening having a first opening width and defined at the first area, and a second opening having a second opening width and defined at the second area.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A phase shift mask comprising:
 a phase shift mask which comprises: 
 a transparent substrate; and 
 a phase shift pattern which is provided on the transparent substrate, and comprises: 
 a first area having a first thickness; 
 a second area having a second thickness which is less than the first thickness; 
 a first opening having a first opening width and defined through the phase shift pattern at the first area; and 
 a second opening having a second opening width which is different from the first opening width and defined through the phase shift pattern at the second area. 
 
     
     
       2. The phase shift mask of  claim 1 , wherein the phase shift pattern further comprises phase shift material which changes a phase of light which passes through the phase shift pattern. 
     
     
       3. The phase shift mask of  claim 2 , wherein
 the phase shift pattern further comprises chrome oxide nitride (CrOxNy), molybdenum silicide oxide nitride (MoSiOxNy), or a combination thereof, and 
 the phase of light passing through the phase shift pattern is changed by about 180 degrees. 
 
     
     
       4. The phase shift mask of  claim 1 , wherein
 the phase shift mask is configured to pattern a substrate, which is an object for pattering disposed under the phase shift mask, the substrate comprising:
 a first area corresponding to the first opening of the phase shift mask, and 
 a second area corresponding to the second opening of the phase shift mask, 
 wherein the second area is higher than the first area, so that the second area of the substrate is closer to the phase shift mask than the first area. 
 
 
     
     
       5. The phase shift mask of  claim 4 , wherein
 the phase shift pattern further comprises chrome oxide nitride (CrOxNy), and 
 a difference between the first thickness and the second thickness is about 0.003 times a height difference of the substrate between the second area and the first area. 
 
     
     
       6. The phase shift mask of  claim 4 , wherein a thickness of the phase shift pattern between the first area and the second area gradually changes along a direction from the first thickness to the second thickness. 
     
     
       7. The phase shift mask of  claim 1 , wherein the phase shift pattern further comprises a third area having a third thickness which is less than the second thickness. 
     
     
       8. The phase shift mask of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second openings are configured to focus light in a photoresist layer of a substrate which is an object for patterning disposed under the phase shift mask. 
     
     
       9. The phase shift mask of  claim 1 , wherein
 the phase shift mask is configured to pattern a substrate, which is an object for pattering disposed under the phase shift mask, and 
 the first opening width of the first opening of the phase shift mask is larger than a width of a portion of the substrate upon which light which passes the first opening is irradiated. 
 
     
     
       10. The phase shift mask of  claim 1 , wherein
 the phase shift mask is configured to pattern a substrate, which is an object for pattering disposed under the phase shift mask, and 
 the substrate comprises two different thicknesses corresponding to the first and second thicknesses of the phase shift pattern. 
 
     
     
       11. The phase shift mask of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first opening width and the second opening width of the phase shift pattern is less than about 2 micrometers. 
     
     
       12. A patterning method comprising:
 disposing a photoresist layer on a substrate, the photoresist layer comprising a first area, and a second area which is higher than the first area by a second height; 
 irradiating light to the photoresist layer using a phase shift mask which comprises: 
 a transparent substrate, and 
 a phase shift pattern which is provided on the transparent substrate, and comprises a first area having a first thickness and a second area having a second thickness which is less than the first thickness; 
 providing a photoresist pattern by developing the photoresist layer which is irradiated, using a developer; 
 providing a first pattern at the first area and a second pattern at the second area by partially etching the substrate; and 
 removing the remaining photoresist pattern, 
 wherein 
 a first opening having a first opening width at the first area, and a second opening having a second opening width which is different from the first opening width at the second area are defined through the phase shift pattern. 
 
     
     
       13. The patterning method of  claim 12 , wherein
 the first pattern of the substrate has a first width, the second pattern of the substrate has a second width, and 
 the first width is less than the first opening width, and the second width is less than the second opening width. 
 
     
     
       14. The patterning method of  claim 13 , wherein the irradiating light to the photoresist layer using the phase shift mask focuses light passing the first opening in the photoresist layer at the first area, and
 focuses light passing the second opening in the photoresist layer at the second area. 
 
     
     
       15. The patterning method of  claim 14 , wherein the phase shift pattern of the phases shift mask further comprises chrome oxide nitride (CrOxNy), molybdenum silicide oxide nitride (MoSiOxNy) or a combination of chrome oxide nitride (CrOxNy) and molybdenum silicide oxide nitride (MoSiOxNy). 
     
     
       16. The patterning method of  claim 14 , wherein
 the phase shift pattern further comprises chrome oxide nitride (CrOxNy), and 
 a difference between the first thickness and the second thickness is about 0.003 times the second height. 
 
     
     
       17. A method of manufacturing a display panel comprising:
 providing a substrate; 
 disposing a black matrix on the substrate; 
 disposing a first color filter having a first height on the substrate, a second color filter having a second height and a third color filter having a third height on which the black matrix is disposed; 
 disposing a conductive layer on the first to third color filters; 
 disposing a photoresist layer on the conductive layer; 
 irradiating light to the photoresist layer using a phase shift mask which comprises: 
 a transparent substrate, and 
 a phase shift pattern which is provided on the transparent substrate and has a first thickness corresponding to the first color filter and a second thickness corresponding to the second color filter, and a third thickness corresponding to the third color filter; 
 providing a photoresist pattern by developing the photoresist layer which is irradiated, using a developer; and 
 providing a first electrode on the first color filter, a second electrode on the second color filter, and a third electrode on the third color filter by partially etching the substrate. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , wherein
 the first height of the first color filter is less than the second height of the second color filter, the third height of the third color filter is greater than the second height of the second color filter, and 
 the first thickness of the phase shift pattern of the phase shift mask is greater than the second thickness, and the third thickness is less than the second thickness. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , wherein
 a plurality of first slit openings corresponding to the first color filter, a plurality of second slit openings corresponding to the second color filter and a plurality of third slit openings corresponding to the third color filter are defined through the phase shift pattern, 
 each of the plurality of first slit openings has a first width, each of the plurality of second slit openings has a second width, and each of the plurality of the third slit openings has a third width, 
 the first electrode has a first line width, a plurality of slits having a first separation distance is defined in the first electrode, and a first pitch is defined as a sum of the first line width and the first separation distance, 
 the second electrode has a second line width, a plurality of slits having a second separation distance is defined in the second electrode, and a second pitch is defined as a sum of the second line width and the second separation distance, and 
 the third electrode has a third line width, a plurality of slits having a third separation distance is defined in the third electrode, and a third pitch is defined as a sum of the third line width and the third separation distance. 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 19 , wherein each of the first to third line widths and each of the first to third separation distances is less than about 2 micrometers.